Car-coupling



(No Model.)

A. FISCHER. GAR GOUPLING.

N0,2 '75,814. PatentedApr. 17,1883.

Witnessisg v I '%%m WM 76%.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

ALBERT FISCHER, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 275,814, dated April 17, 1883. Application filed July 17, 1882. No model.)

To all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT FISCHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the countyof Wayne and State ofMichigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Oar-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of couplings which are self-acting and intended to prevent the great loss of life which to the present time almost daily results from the usual modes of coupling, especially freight-cars. I attain this object by the deviceillustrated in the following drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of device with the pin uncoupled. Fig. 2 shows the couplingpin plate detached and without the pin. Fig. 25 is a longitudinal sectional view of device through a vertical cut down the center of the draw-head. Fig. 4 is a perspective view ofthe underside,showingslot,pin,85c. Fig.5shows device attached to a car and as it appears when coupled together with the uncoupling attachment.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

A is an ordinary-shaped draw-head, cast with two slots one on its upper and one on its under side. The upper slot, a, commences directly back of the bumper, where the couplingpin is usually inserted in the ordinary drawhead, and extends back of sufficient length to allow the coupling-pin to swing freely through. The under slot, a, Fig. 4, is shorter than the upper one, but of snfficient length to allow the coupling-pin to swing freely when in place. These slots are a trifle wider than the diameter of the coupling-pin. Directly back of the upper slot, at the end of the draw-head, is cast a solid post, I), which has a projection on its front side to limit the lifting of the couplingpin to aboutthe position shown in Fig. 1. The top of this post should not be higher than the bumper. Its purpose is to hinge the coupling' pin plate B thereto. This plate is cast of sufficient length to extend from where hinged to post b up to the end of slot a, or against the bumper, and is slotted or forked to coincide with said slotc when the plate is down in place. This plate B may be a little narrower than the draw-head, and of suflicient thickness to weigh about twenty pounds.

At the center of-the free or forked end ofthis plateis hung or hinged the coupling-pin O, a bolt with a nut being used as the hinge-pin, so that in case the coupling-pin should be broken a new one can be quickly and easily put in its place. Across the slot on top of the coupling-pin plate is casta bridge or arch, c, of suflicient spring to allow the coupling-pin to swing entirely free of the inside cavity of the draw-head, but prevent it from going over on top. To the top of this arch c is attached the uncoupling arrangement by the link (I and eyelet c, Fig. 5. The uncoupling is accomplished from the top of the car by means of the vertical rod (flatlf, which is kept in position against the end of the car by the U-shaped straps g g, and whose lower end rests on the draw-head. To this rod the link (I, or its equivalent, a chain, is attached by eyelet e. At the upper end of this rod is the handle h, at such a distance from the top of the car that when pulled up in uncoupling it will not project above the same. In conjunction with this lifting-rodfare two side rods orlevers, jj, (also flat,) which are connected with the lifting-rod by the pin 70, which is rigidly fastened or screwed to the rod f, and projects therefrom to its flanged head or a pin sufficiently to allow the forks or slots I, at or near the ends of the leversjj, to enter and act thereon. These levers extend nearly to the sides of the car, and are placed at any desirable height, with proper handles, m m, and are secured in place by the fulcrum-bolts not, or any equivalent device, and the bent or U shaped straps 0 0, fast ened to the car between the fulcrum-bolts and the handles of the levers. A wedgeshaped piece or tooth, ofiron,p, is fastened to the back of the lifting-rodf, about midway between the pin It and upper strap g. This piece is made to hug the counter-plate 1', which has corrugations to fit the piece 10, and is fastened to the car in the line on whichp moves when uncoupling. It is of sufficientlength to engage with it during such operation, the spring of the rod f between the pin k and the upper strap 9 being sufficient, with this ratchet device, to hold the coupling-pin drawn up, as in Fig. 1, and yet allow the levers to easily operate in placing it in position to couple when desired.

Theworkingot'thedeviceisobvious. When not held out of place designedly, the couplingpin is always ready to receive the couplinglink and. secure the connection instantaneous 2. The draw-head A, formed with slots on a, and sure. The uncoupling is sufficiently oband provided with stop or post I), in combinavious from the foregoing explanation and tion with the hinged slotted plate B and coup- I5 drawings. ling-pin O, hinged thereto, and the link D, sub- 5 WhatI claim as myinvention, and desire to stantially as shown and described.

secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a car-coupling, the draw-head formed ALBERT FISCHER. with slots a a and the post or stop b, in cornbination with the plate B, hinged to the said Witnesses: 10 post I), and provided with bridge 0, tripping JOHN D. CANFIELD,

devices, and the hinged coupling-pin 0, sub- WILLIAM S. SHEERAN. stantially as shown and described. 

